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FOSTER'S 
RUSSIAN BANK 




BY THE SAME AUTHOR 

PIRATE BRIDGE 
FOSTER ON AUCTION 
AUCTION MADE EASY 

E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 



FOSTER'S 
RUSSIAN BANK 

A CARD GAME FOR TWO PLAYERS 

NEW EDITION 
Including the Game with a Single Pack 



BY 



R. F. FOSTER 

author op 
••Poster on Auction," "Pirate Bridge^ 

"Auction Made Easy," etc. 

Inventor of the Eleven Rule and thb 

Self-Playing Bridge Cards 

Card Editor of The New York Tribune 




NEW YORK 
E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY 

681 Fifth Avenue 



Copyright, 1920, by 
E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 

Copyright 1922, by Q^ ^ 

E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 

All rights reserved 



First printing - - March, 1920 

Second printing - - April, 1920 

Third printing - - March, 1921 

Fourth printing - - Jan., 1922 



Printed in the United States of America 



FEB -3 1922 
©r.l.A653740 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND 
EDITION 

There is probably no game which 
has enjoyed such a sudden and uni- 
versal vogue as Russian Bank. Since 
the first edition of this little text- 
book was issued a year ago, hundreds 
of letters have been received, from all 
parts of the United States, asking for 
information and advice. 

In the present edition there has 
been added a description of a simpler 
form of the original game, to be 
played with only one pack, which 
eliminates many of the complica- 
tions of the older game, and also 
shortens it to such an extent that 
one can play three or four games 
with one pack in the time required 



vi PREFACE 

for a single game with two packs. 
The new game also has the advan- 
tage that it is always finished, such a 
thing as a drawn game being impos- 
sible. 

It may be imagined that by re- 
ducing the cards to one-half the 
usual number, the game might be so 
simplified that it would lose interest; 
but if the reader will study the illus- 
trative hand given in connection with 
the description, it will readily be 
seen that the game with one pack is 
not so simple that it loses its attrac- 
tion as an intellectual pastime. 

R. F. Foster. 

532 Monroe St., 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 
1921. 



INTRODUCTION 



While there are at least a dozen 
excellent card games for two per- 
sons, the average player of to-day 
has undoubtedly outgrown such sim- 
ple contests as All-fours, Hearts, 
Euchre, or Rum. It is true that 
Piquet, Ecarte, Cribbage, Casino, 
and Pinochle afford a little more in- 
tellectual amusement, but they lack 
the infinite variety which is vital to 
the continued popularity of any 
game, and in all of them luck is too 
predominating an element. 

There has been of late years a per- 
sistent and growing demand for a 

vii 



viii INTRODUCTION 

good card game for two persons* 
such as man and wife, which shall be 
at once simple in its construction, in- 
teresting in its developments, full of 
variety and surprises, and at the 
same time shall not require such an 
amount of highly specialized techni- 
cal knowledge as, for example, Auc- 
tion Bridge. It must be a game in 
which one can make nistakes without 
being exposed to the criticism of a 
partner; a game that one can play 
well or ill, and still enjoy it. We play 
cards for the excitement and amuse- 
ment, as a pastime and a pleasure. 

As there seems always to be a sup- 
ply to meet every demand, we find 
that Russian Bank has lately been 
coming into vogue as an excellent 
game for two persons; especially 
those who want a little more excite- 
ment than Euchre, a little less luck 



INTRODUCTION ix 

than Pinochle, but sufficient intellec- 
tual exercise to satisfy both the aver- 
age and the most exacting card 
player. 

Russian Bank is a gradual devel- 
opment from various forms of Soli- 
taire, especially one which has been 
known since 1910 as Crapette, which 
seems to be a coined word. The 
game provides excellent training for 
both observation and judgment and 
has many surprising alternatives, 
owing to the infinite possibilities of 
the distribution of two packs of fifty- 
two cards each. It is impossible for 
any two games of Russian Bank to 
be even remotely alike, and even with 
exactly the same distribution of the 
cards the outcome may vary in count- 
less ways. Another point in its favor 
is that each player is as much con- 
cerned in his opponent's moves as in 



x INTRODUCTION 

his own, the interest never flagging 
for a moment. 

In addition to its attractions, Rus- 
sian Bank has proved to be a refuge 
for the many sensitive persons who 
have become a little tired of the fault- 
finding partners that are so common 
at the bridge table. One may have 
a partner at Russian Bank, but he is 
simply an advisor, whose counsels 
may be taken or rejected at pleasure, 
after openly discussing their possi- 
bilities. 

It is with a view to bringing the 
game to the notice of the card-play- 
ing public, and at the same time 
clarifying its laws and bringing out 
the beauties of its play, that die fol- 
lowing pages have been written. 

R. F. Foster. 

The Savage Club, London, 
1920 



FOSTER'S 
RUSSIAN BANK 



FOSTEB'S RUSSIAN BANK 



DESCRIPTION OF THE 
TWO-PACK GAME 

The more common form of the 
game is played with two packs of 
fifty-two cards each, having backs of 
different colors, such as red and blue ; 
but many persons prefer the shorter 
pack, of thirty-two, or thirty-six 
cards, in order to get quicker action 
and shorter games. As the same 
principles apply to each game, 
whether the cards run from the ace 
and deuce up to the queen and king, 
or from the* six or seven up to the 



2 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

king and ace, the following descrip- 
tion will be confined to the full pack, 
fifty-two cards, running from the 
ace, as a foundation, to the king, 
which ends the sequence. 

There are only two active players, 
who attend to all such matters as 
shuffling, cutting and dealing, and 
who make the actual plays; but by 
agreement either or both of them 
may have a duly-appointed advisor, 
agreed to by the adversary, with 
whom plays may be openly discussed, 
in the hearing of the opponent, be- 
fore each play is made. 

One of the packs is shuffled and 
spread, face down, and each active 
J)layer draws a card, the lower having 
the choice of seats and packs, and 
having the right to begin the play. 
The cards rank from the king and 
queen down to the deuce and ace. 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 3 

Ties cut again, the suits having no 
rank. 

Supposing the packs to be blue 
and red, and the lower cut having 
chosen the red, he shuffles the blue 
pack for his opponent, while the op- 
ponent shuffles the red pack. Each 
then cuts the pack he has just 
shuffled, and passes it over to his 
opponent. 

Each player then deals off twelve 
cards, one at a time and face down, 
into a pile at his right. These twelve 
cards constitute his "stock." He then 
deals the next four cards face up, to 
his left, and on a line between him- 
self and his opponent. Sufficient 
space must be left between these two 
rows of cards for two other rows, in 
which the "foundations" will be 
placed later on. These eight cards, 
lying face up, form the "tableau. 57 



4 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

The remaining 36 cards are laid, face 
down, at the player's left, and are 
known as his "hand.". 

The player who has acquired the 
right to play first begins by moving 
any ace which may be face up among 
the eight exposed cards in the tab- 
leau, and placing it in one of the 
eight spaces reserved for the founda- 
tions. These aces will form starters 
for building up, in sequence and suit, 
from the ace to the king. All aces 
must be taken from the tableau im- 
mediately, and any cards in sequence 
and suit with them must be placed 
upon them before another card is 
touched. Building upon the founda- 
tions is compulsory, but any further 
transposition of the cards in the tab- 
leau is optional with the player. 

The movement of any other card, 
when a play upon the foundations is 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 5 

feasible, entitles the opponent to call 
a stop, and to take his turn to play 
immediately. It is highly important 
to watch very closely for "stops," as 
they are frequently overlooked. A 
stop may be called the moment the 
player in error puts his fingers upon 
any card other than one which should 
be played on the foundations, even if 
that card is not moved. 

When there is no further play pos- 
sible upon the foundations, the 
player turns his attention to the re- 
mainder of the tableau. He may 
build upon any card in the tableau 
by placing upon it a card of a dif- 
ferent color, red on black, or black 
on red, but in descending sequence; 
a six on a seven, a queen on a king, 
and so on. Only one card may be re- 
moved at a time, and if there are 
already two or more in any pile in 



6 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

the tableau, the top card which is 
face up on that pile is the only one 
that can be moved. After that has 
been taken, the next one that is face 
up is available. Cards once placed 
on the ace foundations cannot be 
touched again under any circum- 
stances. The transpositions in the 
tableau are at the option of the 
player, who may select among sev- 
eral, or may refuse to make plays 
that are possible, should he deem it 
better to leave the cards as they are. 
Having no further moves to make 
with the cards in sight, the player 
turns up the top card of his stock 
(the twelve cards lying face down on 
his right). If this card is playable 
on any of the foundations, it must be 
placed there at once. Otherwise it 
may be placed in any vacant space in 
the tableau, or in descending se- 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 7 

quence on any card of a different 
color in the tableau. 

As long as the player can dispose 
of the cards he turns up from his 
stock, or can make moves among the 
cards in the tableau and then return 
to his stock and play from it, he con- 
tinues to turn up cards, one at a time. 
As soon as a card is turned up that 
is not playable, or that he declines to 
play, it must be left face up on the 
top of his stock. If a space is open, 
which he declines to fill from his 
stock, he is "stopped," and his oppo- 
nent plays. If there is no space, he 
turns his attention to the thirty-six 
cards lying face down on his left, 
which constitute his "hand." 

Proceeding to turn up these cards, 
one at a time, as long as he can play, 
he continues until he comes to a point 
where he either cannot or will not 



8 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

make a move. The last card turned 
up from his hand is then laid face up 
on the table between his hand and his 
stock, and is the beginning of his 
"discard pile." 

If there is a space in the tableau, 
the player may refuse to fill that 
space with a card from his stock; but 
if he refuses to fill it with the last 
card turned up from his hand, pre- 
ferring to put it on his discard pile, 
he cannot afterward play that card 
into a space, as cards from either of 
the discard piles cannot be played 
into spaces under any circumstances. 
Should there be a space in the tableau 
which the player refuses to fill from 
his stock when able to do so, he must 
acknowledge himself stopped, as he 
is not allowed to turn up any cards 
from his hand while he can still play 
into a space from his stock. 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 9 

When from any cause the player is 
stopped, it becomes the turn of his 
adversary to play, and this player 
has not only the eight places in the 
tableau at his disposal, together with 
the foundations, if any have been 
started, but he can play upon his op- 
ponent's stock or discard under the 
following conditions. 

Before placing any card from his 
own hand, stock, or discard, he may 
take any card from the tableau and 
play it upon his opponent's stock or 
discard in ascending or descending 
sequence in the same suit. Suppose 
the top card of the opponent's dis- 
card or stock is the eight of spades. 
Upon that card may be placed either 
the seven or nine of spades, and on 
that again, either the six or ten. Op- 
portunities to release cards by taking 
advantage of this privilege are fre- 



10 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

quently overlooked. The play upon 
the opponent's discard or stock is 
optional. 

After making whatever plays he 
wishes, either by moving cards in the 
tableau, or otherwise, he turns up the 
top card of his stock, and continues 
to turn up, one at a time, from his 
stock, as long as he can play. When 
he reaches a card that he either can- 
not or will not play, if there is no 
space open for that card, he turns up 
the top card from the thirty-six on 
his left, which constitute his hand, 
and continues to play by turning up 
cards one at a time, until he is 
stopped. The last card from his 
hand must either be played, or laid 
out as the first of his discard pile. 

It is hardly necessary to say that 
if the cards turned up from the hand, 
or the shifts made in the tableau, 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 11 

should free the top card of the play- 
er's stock, he is at liberty to return 
to his stock; but he is not obliged to 
do so. It may happen that after one 
or more cards from his stock, he is 
able to dispose of his discard; or he 
may leave his discard as it is and turn 
up from his hand, playing perhaps 
alternately from these three places to 
his advantage. 

The second player, like the first, 
must be careful to avoid having stops 
called on him by reason of his failure 
to play on the ace foundations when 
able to do so. If there are two iden- 
tical cards available, he may take his 
choice, but he must play one or the 
other. Cards playable on the foun- 
dations may be in the tableau, the 
opponent's stock or discard, or 
turned up. A stop may be called as 
soon as a card which is playable on 



12 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

the foundations has been placed else- 
where, even if the player is still 
touching it, provided he is not hold- 
ing it. In the same waj^, if a card 
which is playable on the foundations 
is covered, or some other card is 
touched or turned up, establishing 
the oversight. If a card is turned 
up by the player in error when a stop 
is called on him, the cards remain 
as they are; but the card he turned 
goes back to the stock, as exposed, or 
back to the discard, or is turned face 
down again if it came from his hand, 
in each case returning to the part of 
the player's cards from which it 
came. 

As soon as the stock of either 
player is exhausted, all further turn- 
ing is done from his hand, until that 
is exhausted. If the last card of his 
hand is placed on his discard pile, 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK IS 

together with others already there, 
when it again becomes his turn to 
play he takes up the entire discard 
pile, and without disturbing the 
order of the cards, turns them face 
down. These cards now become his 
hand again, to be turned up one at a 
time, as before. Being no longer dis- 
cards, but a new hand, these cards 
may now be played into spaces. 

It sometimes happens that a 
player will inadvertently play a card 
in the wrong position, such as a red 
seven on a red eight, or a black eight 
on a red eight. In such cases, his op- 
ponent must immediately call atten- 
tion to the error, and may insist on 
the card's being properly placed, if 
there is a position open for it. If 
not, it must be returned to the place 
in the tableau from which it came, 
or to the stock or the discard pile of 



14 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

the player in error, if it was a turned 
card. There is no penalty for this 
error, but it must be corrected before 
another card is turned up by either 
player. 

Players are not allowed to look at 
any of the unexposed cards in their 
hand or stock, under penalty of hav- 
ing a stop called on them; but a 
player may spread the cards on his 
own discard pile, which are all face 
up, provided he does not disturb their 
order. He cannot ask to see the ex- 
tended discards of his adversary, un- 
less that adversary extends them for 
his own information. 

Before extending cards in this 
manner, either in the discards or in 
a sequence on the layout, the player 
must be careful to give notice that he 
is simply extending, and not playing, 
in case there is a card anywhere play- 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK IS 

able on the foundations, or he may- 
have a stop called on him. 

The player is allowed to turn up 
one card, either from his hand or 
stock, but not from both, before mak- 
ing any changes in the tableau. This 
allows him to judge better what 
plays to make, in case more than one 
opportunity offers. 

In playing sequence and suit on 
the adversary's discard or stock, it is 
usually better to play in ascending 
sequence on his stock, and descend- 
ing sequence on his discards, as this 
is the reverse of the order in which 
they must be got rid of, when the dis- 
cards are turned into a hand again. 

Scoring 

The game is usually for so much 
a point. The first to get rid of 



16 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

all his 52 cards wins the game and 
scores 30 points bonus. To this he 
adds 2 points for every card remain- 
ing in Ms adversary's stock, if any, 
face up or not, and 1 point more for 
each card remaining in his oppo- 
nent's hand or discard pile. 

Should either player wish to aban- 
don the game at any stage he may do 
so by paying a forfeit of 20 points in 
addition to the usual 30 for a lost 
game, and by also paying for all the 
cards left in his stock, hand, or dis- 
card, at the usual rates. 

The game must be declared a draw 
if it arrives at a stage at which 
neither player can get rid of all his 
cards, even if one should have a much 
larger number on hand than the 
other. 

If a player exposes any playable 
card, either on his stock, discard pile* 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 17 

or turned from his hand, and refuses 
to play it, perhaps in order to force 
a drawn game, he may be compelled 
to play that card. After the discards 
have been turned down once and run 
through again as a hand, they must 
again be turned down and constitute 
a hand for the second time. After a 
player has run through his hand for 
the third time in this manner, he must 
play any card that can be played. If 
the playable card is on his stock, he 
must play it after he has twice run 
through his hand and discards, so as 
to avoid the draw, if possible. 



AN ILLUSTRATIVE HAND 

Any description of a game being 
always more easily understood if ac- 
companied by examples from actual 
play, showing at least a part of the 
game, it is suggested that the reader 
take two packs of cards, with dif- 
ferent colored backs, such as red and 
blue, and sort out the following 
hands, so as to follow the description 
which follows, step by step, seeing 
the reason for every card played, and 
also getting a better grasp on the ap- 
plication of the law governing stops, 
which is most important. For prac- 
tice, nothing is better than the small 
patience cards, the TJ. S. Playing 
Card Co.'s No. 24, "Little Duke," 
being especially suitable. 

18 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 19 



Taking the red pack first, sort out 
thirty-two cards, which should be laid 
on the table, face up, in the following 
order, the first card in each row being 
the bottom card of that suit pile, such 
as the heart king. The "J" stands 
for Knave. 

S?: K5 J74 
c£:K7586349JA2 

0: A 6 2 10 7 3 

0: K253679 AQ8 

With these four piles in front of 
you, take off the top cards from each 
pile, beginning with the spade eight, 
and making a single pile of them, but 
still face up: (Read from left to 
right.) 

^8,c$d2,4>Q,c£A,c§>J, 3, 0?,*9, 
*4,^4,C>10,0 2,*3,S?7,cSd6,4)A, 
6, * 8, £ 9, * 5, £ 7, <J> 6, £ 3, c£ 7, 



20 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

Now turn these 32 cards face 
down, and leave them on the table 
until you have sorted out the blue 
pack. 

From the blue pack sort out the 
following 24 cards, laying them on 
the table, face up, just as you did 
with the red pack, the heart six being 
the bottom card of the first pile. 

S?: 6QK9 

<g>: JQ3 10 

0: 52K89 A43 J 

0: K49 6Q 2 10 

With these four piles in front of 
you take off the top cards from each 
pile, beginning with the spade ten, sg 
as to make a single pile of them, all 
face up. 

4>10, S?9,<2>10, OJ, 03, £2, 04, A, 

9,6Q,0 8,^K,0K,02,C>5,6G, 
£3,69,c£Q,£4,£K,VQ,c£j,W 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 21 

Now turn these 24 cards face 
down, and deal off 12 cards from the 
top, one at a time, all face down, into 
a single pile on your right. These 12 
cards will form the ' 'stock" for the 
blue player. 

Deal the next four cards on the 
table, face up, in a row, on a line be- 
tween the two players. These four 
cards, if the sorting has been cor- 
rectly done, will be found to be the 
king, deuce, five of diamonds, and six 
of spades. They form the blue pack's 
contribution to the "tableau." The 
remaining eight cards are laid on the 
table, face down, just as they are, 
and form the blue player's hand. 

Turning to the red pack, the first 
12 cards are dealt off, one at a time, 
and face down, to form the stock. 
The next four cards are dealt to the 
table, face up, in a row, parallel to 



22 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

the four cards from the blue pack 
which are already on the table face 
up, but with enough space between 
the two rows to admit of two more 
rows, which will eventually be filled 
by the eight aces that form the foun- 
dations. 

If the four cards from the red pack 
are the trey of clubs, seven of hearts, 
six of clubs and ace of spades, the 
sorting has probably been correctly 
done. The remaining 16 cards are 
laid on the table, face down, just as 
they are, and form the "hand" of the 
player with the red pack. 

The layout should now present the 
appearance shown in Diagram No. 1. 

Let us suppose that the player 
with the red pack won the prelim- 
inary cut, and has the right to play 
first. There are open to him four 
moves in the tableau, as it stands, 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 23 



STOCK 



□ 



mmmmammtmmm 

HAND 



THE 
BLUE CARDS 



□ 








b 



4. 4. 

* 4 



SPACE 

FOR 

8 ACES 








© 






D 



HAND 



TBI? 
RID CARDS 



D 



STOCK 



DIAGRAM No. 1 

PLAYER WITH THE RED PACK TO PLAY 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 25 

before turning a card from his stock. 
The first of these four is compulsory, 
and must be made before even touch- 
ing another card, under penalty of 
having a stop called on him, and that 
is to put the ace of spades into place 
for a foundation. The remaining 
three .moves are optional; but let us 
suppose they are made, and that no 
further changes being possible, the 
player is about to turn the top card 
from his stock. The layout will pre- 
sent the appearance shown in Dia- 
gram No. 2. 

If the cards have been properly 
sorted, the top card of the red stock 
will be found to be the 

2. As this does not fit any- 
where, it must go into one of the 
spaces. The 10 and S? 4 fill two 
of the remaining spaces. 



26 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

<£) 4 and <J> 9 can both be played on 
descending sequences. 

7 fills the last space. The 3 
goes on the c£ 4, but the c£ J is un- 
playable and forms a stop, so far as 
the stock is concerned, so the player 
now turns his attention to his " hand," 
from which he turns up the top card. 
If the sorting has been properly 
done, this will be the 

6, which cannot be played, and 
forms a stop. There is now a club 
jack on the top of the player's stock, 
and the six of diamonds lying face 
up, separate from his hand, and 
forming the beginning of his discard 
pile. It therefore becomes the turn 
of the player with the blue pack to 
play, with the layout as shown in 
Diagram No. 3. 

Spaces being always most desir- 
able, the first thing to be done is to 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 27 



STOCK 



D 



THE 
BLUE CARDS 



HAND 



□ 



I 3 ! 2 




l*lo 


© 


7 


6 




V 


♦ 





6 5 
♦ 



D 



THE 
RED CARDS 



□ 



DIAGRAM No. 2 

THE RED CARDS' TURN TO PLAY 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 29 

place the seven of diamonds on his 
opponent's discard, as he can take it 
back again any time he wants it, as 
long as it is not covered. Beginning 
with his stock (the twelve cards on 
his right), he turns up the 

S? K, which goes into the space 
just made vacant by the removal of 
the seven of diamonds. The 8 
goes on the c£> 9, as it is usually better 
to continue a sequence whenever pos- 
sible, in preference to building on an 
opponent's discard pile or stock. 
The & Q goes on the K. He 
then turns the 

9- This gives him a choice. He 
can let that card remain on the top 
of his stock, and turn his attention 
to his hand, or he can play the eight 
and nine of diamonds on his oppo- 
nent's discard. Should he turn from 
his stock and be unable to play that 



30 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

card, he could not return to his 
stock as that would be exposing 
two cards before determining on 
his play. 

If he leaves the nine of diamonds 
on his stock, and turns from his hand 
a card that cannot be played, such as 
a king, he would be stopped, and his 
opponent would at once pile the 
eight, seven and six of diamonds on 
him. In order to avoid the possi- 
bility of having his stock blocked in 
this way with four cards, he puts the 
two diamonds on his opponent's dis- 
card pile, running it up to the nine. 
Continuing from his stock, he turns 
the 

A, which goes into a space at 
once, and on which he must be care- 
ful to play the deuce and trey of dia- 
monds before touching another card. 
He can then put the $3on the S? 4?, 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 31 



STOCK 



D 



3 2 
* 



6 

<? * 

i~ 

o 

lola 

o * 



□ 



THE 
BLUE CARDS 



HAND 






o o 
&J1 



7 





6 5 4 3 

• *k 



HAND DISCARD STOCK 



DIAGRAM No. 3 



THE BLUE CARDS TURN TO PLAY 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 33 

and the other 2 on the c£> 3, giving 
him two spaces. The 

4, 2, 3, J, * 10, S? 9 

can all be played on the sequences. 
The 4> 10, the last card of his stock, 
goes into a space. Before turning 
the spade ten, he might have used 
the two spaces to separate the 3 
and <£> 4, so as to get out the 5, 
but in case he lost the lead, that 
might give his opponent a chance to 
run off all his diamonds from his dis- 
card pile. As long as the 5 is not 
uncovered, it is not compulsory to 
play it on the foundations, and the 
player cannot be compelled to un- 
cover it, if he does not wish to do so. 
His stock being exhausted, the 
player turns the top card from his 
hand (the pile of cards remaining 
face down on his left). If the sort- 



34 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

ing has been correctly done, this will 
be found to be the 

<S> 3, which fills the last space. The 
next card is the 

<£ 9, which is unplayable, and 
forms a stop, being placed at the 
right of the player's hand, to form 
the beginning of his discard pile. It 
is now the turn of the player with 
the red pack to take up the play 
again, the layout having the appear- 
ance shown in Diagram No. 4. 

The first thing is to make a space 
by putting the <£ 10 on the <£ 9 in his 
opponent's discard pile, and the c£> J 
from the top of his own stock into the 
space. Cards from the stock may 
always be played into spaces; but not 
cards from either of the discard piles. 
His stock being free, he proceeds 
to turn up these four cards: 

c£ A, Q, c£ 2, 8. The ace 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 35 



STOCK DISCARD 



76 



10 



10 9 

D 



□ 



□, 



A 



HAND 



D 



K Q, J 10 
ol<MOI* 

4| 3 | 2 

c|*lo 

I 6 1 5 1 4 1 3 

#0*0 



9 




HAND DISCARD STOCK 



DIAGRAM No. 4 

THE TURN OF THE RED CARDS TO PLAY 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 37 

starts another foundation, in the row- 
under the spade ace. It is usual for 
each player to keep his aces on the 
same side of the foundations, in order 
that he may know how many are to 
come from the red or the blue pack. 
The spade ace came from the red 
pack, so the club ace is put under it. 
The Q goes on the S? K, and the 
moment the c£> 2 appears, it goes on 
the ace, and the <£ 3 makes a space. 
As a player is not allowed to fill 
spaces from the discard piles, he can- 
not put the 4> 10 and 9 into the 
vacancy, but may fill it with the <£ 8, 
the last card from his stock. This is 
better than putting it on his long se- 
quence, as that might result in his 
turning a card which would be use- 
ful to his opponent, such as a black 
ten, which he would have to put into 
the space. 



38 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

But he has a much better play than 
either, which is to utilize this space 
in separating the c£ 6 and S? 7. See- 
ing that he can do this, he puts the 
4> 8 on the long sequence, and adds 
the 7 7 to * 6 to it. 

By separating the <£ 9 and 10 
in the same way, he rebuilds them on 
the eg) J, leaving him three spaces. 
Now observe how he uses these 
spaces to dig out the S? 9 from his 
long sequence and replace it with the 
9 from his discard pile. 

First, he puts the 6, 7 and 8 each 
in a different space, then the 6 on 
the 7 and the ^ 9 in the space. The 
<$> 8 goes on the y 9, separating the 
6 and 7 again, and rebuilding them 
on the sequence. Observe that as 
only one card can be lifted at a time, 
there must be a space in order to 
move two cards from one place to 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 39 

the end of a sequence in another 
place. 

Now the player gets to work to 
clear off his discard pile, playing the 
9 on the c£ 10, the 8 on the c£ 9. 
Then he uses one of the spaces to lift 
the 3 and put the c£> 4 on one foun- 
dation, the 5 on the other. Hav- 
ing no card that he would be allowed 
to play into a space, he turns up 
from his hand the 

Q 8. Putting this on the long se- 
quence, he gets the 7 off, and at 
once runs the diamond foundation up 
to the 8. By shifting the cj> 8 into 
the space, he adds the <0 9. Then 
he turns up the top card of his hand 
and finds the 

<£> 9. This is added to his oppo- 
nent's discard pile. The 

c£> 5 comes next. This runs the 
club foundation up to the 6. By 



40 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

transferring the S? 7 to the c£> 8, the 
<£ 8 is added to his opponent's dis- 
card pile, and the y 9 goes back to 
the long sequence, on the c£ 10. 

It is now feasible to separate the 
<v> 7 and c£ 8, adding them to the 
sequence; but a player must always 
look ahead, and it is not good policy 
to bury cards too deep that may be 
wanted shortly. Both jack and ten 
of diamonds are on the table, and can 
be dug out any time, as long as 
spaces are left, and spaces are very 
valuable. The next card turned is 
the 

4> 7. By adding this to his oppo- 
nent's discard pile, and putting the 
c£ 6 with it, he gets two spaces. It 
is now time to dig out the diamonds 
and clubs; but observe the manner 
in which this is done. Instead of the 
obvious play, taking out the 10 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 41 

first, the J should be released, 
while there are spaces enough to 
manipulate. 

First of all, two spaces are used 
to separate the c§> 10 and S? 9, and 
join them again elsewhere. Now 
the <S> 9 goes into the space, and the 
diamond foundation is run up to the 
jack. The next five cards can all be 
played. They are the 

£ 6, £ 3, c£ 7, A, £ 5. The 
moment the A appears, it is built 
up to the trey, leaving a space. Now 
observe how the 5 is used. By 
putting it on the opponent's discard 
pile, the £ 6 can be added to it. The 
y 7 goes into the space, and the club 
foundation built up to the nine. 
Moving the S? 9 to a space, runs the 
clubs to the jack, leaving three 
spaces. The next four cards turned 
are these: 



42 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

S? J, £ 2, <£ K, S? 5. The 7 J 
goes on the <£ Q, where the long se- 
quence was. The spades go into 
spaces; but when the S? 5 is turned, 
the <£> 6 is taken from the opponent's 
discard pile and placed on the ^ 7, 
so as to use the S? 5. Continuing, 
he turns the 

c£> K, and S? K, both of which must 
be left, one in a space, the other as 
a discard. It now becomes the turn 
of the player with the blue cards, the 
layout having the appearance shown 
in Diagram No. 5. 

There being no changes possible in 
the tableau, and no way of getting 
rid of the top card of his discard, he 
turns up from his hand the following 
cards in order: 

<£> Q, £ 4, £ K, S? Q, <£> J, S? 6. 

The c£> Q gives him a space and 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 43 



STOCK DISCARD HAND 



K 

* 

2~ 



5 



D 



±-1 










m 



n 



k a j 
♦ h? 



4 



3 



K 
K 






HAND DISCARD STOCK 



DIAGRAM No. 5 

IT IS THE TURN OF THE BLUE CARDS 
TO PLAY 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 45 

closes the club sequence, which may 
be turned down. The <J> 4 releases 
all his discard pile at a stroke, up to 
the <£ 9. The S? Q and c$b J go on 
the <$> K, but the ^? 6 is a stopper, 
and must be placed on the top of the 
<£> 9, in the discards. 

This leaves the layout with the ap- 
pearance shown in Diagram No. 6, 
it being the turn of the player with 
the red pack to play. 

It is now the turn of the red cards 
to play, and the reader is advised to 
take the remaining twenty cards of 
this pack, lay them face down to the 
left, and turn them up one at a time 
as if they were a continuation of the 
hand. When it becomes the turn of 
the blue cards to play, do the same 
with the twenty-eight remaining in 
that pack. 

All the cards sorted out being ex- 



46 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

hausted, the reader may be left to 
play the remaining twenty red and 
twenty-eight blue, according to the 
way they happen to come, applying 
the principles given in the play so 
far. 

It may also be interesting to sort 
out the original cards again, but to 
play them in a different way, which 
is easily possible, and may prove in- 
structive. The way given is not se- 
lected as the best possible, but it has 
the required variations in the man- 
agement of different situations, 
which it is the design of the author 
to illustrate. 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 47 



STOCK DISCARD HAND 






7 6 5 
9 *K> 



8 



9 <? 



±-4 






ffl 



D 



Klal j 


1 ol*|<? 


4 


3 


Q? 


4 


K 


a 


Q? 


* 






HAND DISCARD STOCK 



DIAGRAM No. 6 



VARIATIONS 

There are a few variations which 
are adopted by those who are not 
familiar with the original game, and 
which may be here briefly noticed. 
Some writers on the game seem to 
think that by simply putting their 
views in print they can make them 
laws. Making laws for a game is 
not as easy as it looks. 

One writer advocates dealing thir- 
teen cards for the stock, instead of 
twelve, alleging that thirteen is more 
"scientific." In the absence of any 
arguments or illustration to support 
such a statement, it may be dis- 
missed without further notice. 

i 

Twelve is the correct number, and 
always has been. 

49 



50 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

Some think the game would be 
improved if the player were obliged 
to turn up the top cards of both 
stock and hand before making any 
changes in the tableau that were not 
compulsory plays on the founda- 
tions. Some even go so far as to 
insist on calling a stop on an adver- 
sary who does not turn up both 
cards. 

Stops cannot be called for any- 
thing but failure to play upon the 
foundations; or, as will be seen by 
referring to page 7, a player may 
decline to play the card he turns 
from his stock, but he is stopped 
only if he declines to fill a space with 
it. There is no law compelling him 
to turn up from his hand if he prefers 
to call a stop on himself instead. 

One of the fundamental principles 
of the game is that all plays except 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 51 

those on the foundations shall be at 
the option of the player himself, and 
this includes turning up cards. 
There are many situations in which 
it would be to the player's advantage 
not to turn up the top card of his 
hand, especially after he has re- 
versed his discards, and knows what 
that top card is, and also knows that 
it could be used to advantage by his 
opponent, who has certain cards with 
which it would connect in the next 
move or two. 

One of the most frequently dis- 
puted points is whether or not a 
player should be allowed to extend 
his discards. The rule here given 
that he may so extend them if he is 
willing to let his opponent see them, 
is the only sensible one. Those who 
wish to make it a law that the dis- 
cards cannot be examined under any 



52 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

circumstances, are impractical; be- 
cause no one lays each card on the 
top of the one below with such exact- 
ness that none of those underneath 
can be seen. If it is to be a law that 
the discards cannot be seen, what is 
the penalty? A law without a pen- 
alty is a joke. If there were a 
penalty, we should be exacting it for 
each time the edge of any card under- 
neath the top one could be seen. 

It is sometimes insisted that the 
player should be allowed to fill spaces 
from the discard pile. This is for- 
bidden for the reason given on page 
8, as disputes might arise as to which 
card it was that he refused to play 
from his hand into a space, prefer- 
ring to put it on his discard pile. 
The only way, therefore, is to forbid 
any cards from the discard to be used 
in filling spaces. 



THE SINGLE-PACK GAME 



DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME 
WITH ONE PACK 

A simpler form of Russian Bank, 
requiring less strain on the attention 
than that just described, is played 
with only one pack of fifty-two cards. 

The players cut for deal and seats. 
The lower cut wins. The cards rank 
from the king and queen down to 
the deuce and ace. The cards are 
dealt two to each player the first 
time, and then three at a time to 
each until the pack is exhausted. 
Each player then gathers his twenty- 
six cards, keeping them face down, 
and places them in his left hand. 

The non-dealer begins by laying 
out four cards, one at a time, face up, 
in a row from left to right, on the 

55 



56 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

table in front of him. If it is pos- 
sible to transfer any one or more of 
these cards, by building either up or 
down, in both sequence and suit, it 
should be done at once. For ex- 
ample, the eight of clubs might be 
placed on the seven of clubs, or the 
seven on the eight. Once a sequence 
is started, it must be continued in 
that direction, up or down, unless 
there is a space into which it may be 
removed and reversed, as will be 
explained presently. [There is no 
reversing colors.] 

As any such transfer must leave a 
space, this space must be filled by 
turning up another card, and as long 
as cards can be turned up and played, 
either in spaces or on cards already 
in the tableau, the non-dealer con- 
tinues to turn up cards from his 
hand, one at a time. The moment 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 57 

he comes to a card that cannot be 
played, it must be laid on the table, 
face up, on his right hand, forming 
the first of his discard pile. It will 
then be the turn of the dealer to lay 
out four cards face up, and to make 
any transfers he can, using any of 
the eight places in the tableau. 
When he can no longer play, the last 
card he turns up starts his discard 
pile. The right to turn and play 
then passes to the non-dealer again. 

There is no calling stops for over- 
sights, as in the game with two packs. 

When there is a space, this must 
be filled from the top of the player's 
own discard pile, unless he can make 
some other play or shift in the tab- 
leau. Each player is allowed to 
play from his hand or his discard 
pile on the top card of his opponent's 
discard pile, provided it fits in se- 



58 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

quence and suit. For example: 
The spade ten turns up and goes on 
a pile in the tableau. The spade 
jack is on the top of his opponent's 
discard pile; but it need not be 
taken. Should the spade queen be 
turned, it might be better to place it 
on the opponent's discard pile than 
to take his jack to continue the 
sequence, because the queen is 
equally got rid of, but the opponent 
has two cards more to get rid of, or 
pay for. 

When a card turns up that fits 
anywhere, there is no choice as to its 
place unless there is a play that will 
make a space. Suppose the top 
card anywhere is the deuce of spades, 
and the ace is turned, it must go on 
the deuce or in the discard pile. 

If a card is turned up that would 
fit on the under side of a sequence, it 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 59 

cannot be played unless there is a 
space. For example: In one pile are 
the Q J 10 9 of diamonds, with the 9 
on the top, when the player turns up 
the K. This card is unplayable, and 
must go into the discard unless there 
is a space, or the ace of diamonds is 
on the top of his opponent's discards. 
If there is a space, the K may be 
placed in it, and the entire sequence, 
Q J 10 9, lifted and placed on the K, 
still leaving a space. The simpler 
way, of course, is to push the king 
under the queen. If it is desirable 
to get the king on the top, the four 
cards of the sequence could be moved 
into the space, reversing their order, 
leaving the 9 on the bottom and 
bringing the K to the top. This 
would be the play selected if the 
player knew that the ace was still 
to come, or that he had already 



60 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

passed that card into his discards. 
If he knew, on the contrary, that his 
opponent had the ace, it would be 
better to leave the 9 up, so as to bar 
the ace. It may then be a long 
time before his opponent can get rid 
of that card. 

In choosing the direction of a 
sequence which can be started, or 
reversed, it is essential to keep in 
view the probability of using cards 
which are in sight that approach one 
end. For example: The 8 of hearts 
tops one pile. There is a choice of 
putting the 5 on the 4 or the 4 on the 
5 in another pile. As the 5 is closer 
to the 8, it is better on the top of the 
4. On the other hand, if you have 
seen your opponent bury the 6 in 
his discards, put the 4 on the top. 
It may be difficult for him to get rid 
of that 6 of hearts. A good memory 



*, ..:./.. Li I. J » 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 61 

for cards passed by opponent is 
valuable. 

Either player is allowed at any 
time to extend his own discard pile, 
but not his opponent's. Should he 
extend any part of his discards, his 
opponent is privileged to extend 
them all. 

The order of the cards as they 
enter the discard must not be dis- 
turbed under any circumstances. As 
soon as the last card has been turned 
up from the hand, if it is unplayable, 
it goes on the discard pile; but if it 
can be played, and the top card of 
the discard pile cannot be played, 
then the entire discard pile is turned 
face down, and taken in the left 
hand, to form a continuation of the 
play, the top card, which was the 
bottom card among the discards, 
be'ng turned up. If this is not 



62 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

playable, it starts a new discard 
pile. 

As the object of the game is to get 
rid of all one's own cards, and to be 
paid for all those that remain in the 
hand or discard of the opponent, it 
is important not to help him to get 
rid of any cards if it can be avoided. 
Here is an instructive example: A 
has only three cards left to play. 
In spreading his discards it is found 
they are the 4 5 6 of hearts. In 
the tableau is the 2 of hearts, and in 
another pile is the sequence from the 
10 to the K, with the K on the top, 

When B turns up the ace of hearts, 
he puts it on the 2, as the 3 must be 
in his own hand or discards, and he 
may be able to run off all his cards 
before playing the connecting link 
between the 2 of hearts and his 
opponent's 4. Should he find the 3 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 63 

of hearts to be his last card, he could, 
perhaps, put it under the 2, and get 
paid for three cards; or, if the 4 of 
hearts were the top of his opponent's 
discard, he could add the 3 and get 
paid for four cards. It does not 
matter where or by whom the last 
card is played, its disappearance 
wins the game. 

Scoring 
Every deal is a game in itself, and 
the winner is the one who first gets 
rid of all his cards, having none left 
either in hand or discard pile. The 
loser has to settle for as many cards 
as he has left unplayed in hand or 
discard or both, when the winner 
gets rid of his last card. The aver- 
age will be about six or seven, be- 
tween good players, although it may 
run as high as fifteen or twenty on 
occasion. 



64 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

The game is usually for so much a 
card, or it may be agreed to call the 
game worth 30, and the cards remain- 
ing in hand or discard 2 points each, 
as in the game with two packs. 

As this form of the game is never 
so prolonged that one has to provide 
for the possibility of abandoning it, 
and as ties are impossible, there is no 
necessity for rules governing those 
contingencies, as in the game with 
two packs. 

Note that this form of the game is 
frequently used as a sort of solitaire, 
the lone player dealing out the two 
hands, and playing from each alter- 
nately, just to see whether the dealer 
or the non-dealer will get out first. 



AN ILLUSTRATIVE HAND 

In order that the reader may thor- 
oughly understand some of the tac- 
tics of the game in actual play, the 
following deal is given, with the play 
from start to finish. This will enable 
the reader to follow each step, seeing 
what is done with each card as it is 
turned up, and the alternatives, 
where such arise. For such practice, 
nothing is better than the small 
patience cards, The U. S. Playing 
Card Co.'s No. 24, "Little Duke," 
being especially suitable. 

Take a full pack of fifty-two cards, 
and sort it out into sequence and 
suits, laying them all face up on the 
table in front of you. In the fol- 
lowing notation, the "J" stands for 

65 



66 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

the Knave. Start with the dealer's 
hand, placing the six of hearts on the 
table face up, and putting the club 
five upon it. Continue the pile, all 
face up, in the following order, read- 
ing each line from left to right: 

S?6, #5,^8, S?5, S?8, S?A, £6, 03, 
04, 02, 010, 09, <8>Q, S?10,S?4, 05, 

07, £5, #3, OQ, 4>Q, *J, *2,S?K, 
0A,08. 

Without disturbing this order in 
any way, turn the entire 26 cards 
face down and lay them aside. They 
are the dealer's hand, all ready to 
play by turning up the cards from 
the top, one at a time. 

Now for the non-dealer's hand, 
which will be made up of the remain- 
ing 26 cards. Starting with the 
deuce of hearts, place cards on the 
top of it in this order: 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 67 

S?2, *8. 06, c£9, <$>A, c£10, <$K f <£2, 
S?Q,*4, S?7, 0J,^J, <£A, c§>K, <?9, 
S?8, ^4, <£6, £10,<?J, ♦», <S>7, £3, 
♦7, OK. 

Taking up these 26 cards, without 
disturbing their order in any way, 
turn them face down, and you are 
ready to play out the example. As 
the non-dealer has the first play, 
you turn up four cards from the top 
of his hand. These will be found to 
be the S? 2, c£ 8, 6, * 9. 

Begin by placing the c£> 8 on the 
dj) 9. (You could have put the 9 on 
the 8.) Turn up the next card, 
which is the dp A and fills the space. 
The next card is the c£> 10, and as it 
cannot be played, it goes into the 
place for discards, on the table at 
your right. Note that as you 
elected to put the <%> 8 on the 9, the 



68 FOSTER'-S RUSSIAN BANK 

10 is unplayable. Had you guessed 
the other way, putting the 9 on the 
8, there would have been a place for 
the 10. It is now the dealer's play. 

Turning up the four top cards 
from his hand, we find they are the 
S? 6, eg) 5, & 8, S? 5. Putting the 
^5 on the S? 6, and turning up 
another card, which is the S? 8, and 
fills the space, another card is turned, 
the S? A, which goes on the heart 
deuce. The next card turned, <£> 6, 
is unplayable, and forms the first 
card of the dealer's discard pile. 
The tableau now presents the ap- 
pearance shown in Diagram No. 7, 
on page 69. 

It is now again the non-dealer's 
turn to play and he turns the <£> K„ 
which goes on his discard pile. The 
dealer turns the 3, which goes in 
his discards. The non-dealer turns 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 69 



NON-DEALER 

Discard Hand 



♦ 10 



*8 



♦9 



06 



5?6 



^6 



♦5 



*A 



<?A 



V2 



n 



C?8 









46 



Hand 



Discard 



DEALER 



DIAGRAM No. 7 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 71 

the <£> 2, and discards it. The dealer 
turns the 4 and discards it. The 
non-dealer turns the <y> Q and dis- 
cards it. The dealer turns the 2 
and discards it. 

The non-dealer now turns the dgb 4, 
which goes on the c§> 5. He turns 
the y 7, which goes on the 8, and he 
takes the S? 6 and 5 and places them 
on the 7. As he has no further play, 
and does hot wish to reverse any 
sequence, he must fill the space with 
the top card of his discards before 
turning up another card from his 
hand. Turning the J, he cannot 
play, and that goes in his discards. 

The dealer turns the <0> 10, and 
puts it on the non-dealer's discard 
pile. The 9 goes on the 10. The 
c$b Q goes into the discard. 

The non-dealer turns the <J> J> 
which he discards. The dealer turns 



72 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

the S? 10, and discards it. The 
non-dealer turns the <£ A, and dis- 
cards it. 

The dealer turns the y 4, and puts 
it on the 5. Turns the 5 and puts 
it on the 6. The 7 goes into the 
discard. 

The non-dealer turns the Q K, 
which goes on the ace. Note that 
he cannot take cards from the tab- 
leau and put them on his opponent's 
discard pile; but only cards from his 
own hand or discard pile. This pre- 
vents him from making a space with 
the 6 and 5 of diamonds. He turns 
the <v? 9, and discards it. 

The dealer turns the <£ 5 and dis- 
cards it. The non-dealer turns the 
S? 3 and puts it on the 4, and shifts 
the ace and deuce onto the three, 
making a space. Now he can put 
his nine of hearts under the eight, 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 73 

which is the same thing as putting 
the nine in the space and moving the 
eight sequence. The ace of spades 
goes into the space. He turns the 
<£ 4 and puts it on his opponent's 
discards, so as to get another turn. 
This is the d£> 6, which he discards. 

The dealer turns the <£> 3, puts it 
on the 4. Turns the Q and dis- 
cards it. 

The non-dealer turns the ^ 10 an d 
discards it. The dealer turns the 
<£ Q> and discards it. 

The non-dealer turns the S? J & n d 
puts it on the Q. Turns the <> 9, 
and puts it on the 8, freeing the 10 
from his own discard pile. He turns 
the (£> 7, which goes on the 8; takes 
the 6 from his discard pile, puts it on 
the 7 and then shifts the 5, 4, and 3, 
giving him a space. 

Now comes a play that is often of 



74 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

advantage. Instead of taking the 
spade jack from his discard and 
putting it on the 10, he puts the jack 
on his opponent's discards. He can- 
not take the spades from the tableau 
and give them to his opponent in 
this way, but he tries to shut out 
the spades by reversing the sequence, 
10 9 8, using the empty space to get 
the 8 on the top, and shut out the 
jack. This also makes way for the 
spade 7, which has yet to appear. 

Clever as this play to shut out the 
spade jack appears, it is unnecessary, 
and lost the game He forgot that 
the spade king was in his own dis- 
card pile and could be played on his 
opponent's queen if he shut that 
card out by burying the jack under 
the 10. He knew the club 10 was 
on the bottom of his discards, so he 
reversed the clubs, bringing the 9 to 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 75 

the top. He knows that the club 10 
will be the first card to turn up when 
his hand is exhausted, and he re- 
verses his discard pile. Having no 
further play, he must fill the space 
with the 9 of diamonds, on which he 
puts the 10 and jack. The deuce of 
spades goes on the ace and he turns 
the <£ 3, which goes on the deuce. 
Then he turns the <£ 7, which goes 
on the 8, and the K, which goes 
on the discard pile. Now he begins 
to see the folly of not having antici- 
pated the appearance of the spade 
king. 

The dealer turns the c£> J, and 
discards it. 

As the non-dealer cannot play 
from his discard pile, he turns it 
face down and turns up the c£> 10, 
which goes on the 9; but he is not 
obliged to play his opponent's jack, 



76 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

as it does him no good. The spade 
king is discarded. 

The dealer puts the club jack on 
the 10; turns the c£> 2 and discards 
it. The non-dealer turns the dia- 
mond king, discards it. 

Now observe how the dealer man- 
ages the rest of the play, after spread- 
ing his discards and examining them 
carefully, so as to see in what order 
they will come when he exhausts his 
hand. 

First he turns the y K, and puts 
it on the ace, taking the queen and 
jack and making a space. Then he 
continues to play from the top of his 
discard pile, putting the club deuce 
under the trey, and, having a space, 
separates the ace and king and then 
puts them under the club deuce. 
Now, having two spaces, he puts the 
jack and queen of spades under the 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 77 

10, the diamond queen on the jack, 
and reverses the sequence, bringing 
the nine on the top, so as to shut out 
the king, which cannot be played 
under the queen without the assist- 
ance of a space, and also so as to get 
ready for the 8 of diamonds, which 
may be one of his last cards. 

Continuing he plays the 4 and 5 
of spades on the 3; the diamond 7 
under the 6; the heart 10 on the 
jack, which completes that suit. 
When a suit is full, it is turned face 
down, but still fills a space. The 
club queen goes on the jack; the 
deuce of diamonds in a space; the 4 
on the 5, and the 3 and 2 on the 4, 
still leaving two spaces. The spade 
6 goes on the 7 and the discard pile 
is exhausted. 

The A is turned up next, and is 
put on the opponent's discard pile, 



78 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

so as to make one more card for him 
to pay for. This is better than play- 
ing it into the tableau, when it is not 
wanted there. The last card of all, 
the 8, goes into the vacant space 
and wins the game, leaving the non- 
dealer with three cards to pay for. 

This goes to show that in the 
actual play the dealer got rid of six- 
teen cards and was paid for the 
game and three, when his opponent 
should have won the game, and 
forced the dealer to pay for those 
sixteen cards into the bargain. 

If the reader will go back to the 
point at which the non-dealer blocked 
the spade suit, and will play the 
hand in accordance with the situation 
revealed by a careful study of the 
extended discards, some instructive 
points will be brought out, and the 
manner in which the opponent's 



FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 79 

discards may sometimes be used to 
great advantage will be shown. 

After reversing the club sequence, 
so as to bring the 9 to the top, in- 
stead of putting the jack of spades 
on the dealer's discard pile, note 
should have been made of the fact 
that three diamonds come next, and 
that the dealer has just discarded 
the diamond queen, which is under 
the spade queen. As the spade king 
will come up next to the club 10/ 
that card, if it can be played, will 
make a space by the shift of the 
spade ace. 

The correct play, therefore, was to 
put the spade jack on the 10, without 
reversing the sequence, leaving the 
jack on the top. Then, by borrow- 
ing the dealer's spade queen, the king 
can be added to the sequence and the 
ace and deuce of spades shifted, mak- 



80 FOSTER'S RUSSIAN BANK 

ing a very valuable space. After 
playing the club 10 on the 9, his dis- 
cards are exhausted, and by turning 
the <£ 3, which goes on the deuce; 
the 4> 7 into the space, he can give 
the dealer the diamond king, not 
only winning the game but making 
the dealer pay for sixteen cards. 

In the opinion of many persons 
who have tried both games, that with 
the single pack is even better than 
the original game with two packs, 
the study of the extended discards 
being sometimes very interesting. 



LBJi 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



i 

029 714 105 3 



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